Why?
by tifaa
Summary: ONE SHOT - After Yuffie stole the parties materia, she wanders up to Da Chao for a bit of respite ...


**why...**

The sun blazed a trail across the dusky heavens, autumn's colors lighting up the sky as the fiery amber sun lingered in the distant horizon. It was a spectacular sunset, with an even more amazing few of the simple, elegant Wutainian village. The rays illuminated over the determined features of the petite Ninja who was standing at the crest of Dai Chao.

She frowned slightly, a grimace on her face as she gazed ahead, not really seeing the sights around and below her. Her inner thoughts, the mental whispers that no one save herself knew, were haunting her.

The question goaded her, while the answer elluded her.

'_Why?'_

Yuffie sniffled slightly, another unwelcome expression to her normally capricious face, rubbing her reddened nose, wiping away the hastily shed tears that slid down her windburned cheeks. The air was chillingly frosty this high up, but Yuffie stood defiant, shruiken held tightly in front of her as she still stared off into the distance.

'_Why Ninja? Why did you do it?'_

She shifted, grazing one foot behind the other as if poised to strike. Her knuckles were white with the effort in which she gripped her Conformer. "What do you mean why?!" Yuffie cried out angrily, as if defying the God's with her yell.

'_Why did you do it...?'_

"I did it because..." She started, whispering to the cascading winds. "I did it for myself, because I'm selfish, remember!?" She yelled again, although her inner self was still nagging at her. Yet and still, the damnable question resounded again.

'_Why Yuffie? Why did you steal the other's Materia...?'_

Another tear slid down her cheek as she continued, speaking to the cold air which gently nipped at her short strands of hair.

"I did it... because I'm sick of the uninterested stares of our townspeople. No Ninja walks the streets with pride. They stay to their pagoda's, piddling around and thinking back on the Glory Days. No one holds their head up anymore." Her hand tightened - even more - around the cool metal of her Conformer. "When we had more Materia... when we were stronger, we weren't afraid." Another tear slipped. "We weren't afraid of the ShinRa. The people were proud of their warriors."

Yuffie watched the sun slowly sink behind the horizon line. It aptly fitted the sinking feeling she was feeling within.

"... everyone mostly stays in their homes. There are no more festivals to celebrate our victories, no more happy songs sung about our prosperity. No more anything. Just, still, stifling silence... and the shame. The shame is the loudest thing of all. The shame which paints the faces of the people here, the shame from being defeated by the ShinRa."

Yuffie's stormy eyes hardened suddenly. "That's why!" She shouted, then began murmuring again.

"... So... I did it. I stole. Whatever I could. ... Gil, food, and yes, Materia. I wasn't doing it for myself okay?! I'm NOT some selfish, stupid, greedy brat!" Her voice broke, and her fists clenched angrily. "I did it so we will never look back and regret our actions in the War! I did it so we won't EVER be looked at as a **fucking** Tourist attraction! So the wives will respect their husbands, look in pride to their sons who practice our traditional Shinobi fighting style!!!"

She pumped her fists at the sky, as the sadness and the anger, both in equal measure, suddenly swelled within her.

"There's your answer!" Yuffie bellowed as the tears flowed, shouting at God knows what. "... I did it for Wutai okay!? Is that so wrong?"

Her last words echoed eeriely in the stilness. The only motion was the sound of flowing clothes, and then another voice.

"... no, Yuffie, I don't think it was so wrong." Came the reply, lilted in a roughened voice, the tone in which the visitor spoke was melodic and solemn.

Yuffie eyes shooting darts, shruiken at the ready, forgetting the tears which had left their stain, whirred around heatedly, and relaxed.

"Vincent..." She blinked, turning back around, hastily wiping at her parched cheeks, feeling the heat rise.

Boots scuffed mutely across gravel before she felt his towering prescence beside her. "I don't think it's wrong at all. I'm sure if you told the others what you just vented to the Heavens, your party members would still be angry, but more prone to forgive. Your motives weren't necessarily with malice intent, although your actions were__ rash." He uttered.

Embarrasment at being caught during such an emotional moment made Yuffie yeild her tongue.

In her silence, Vincent stoicly continued, dark reddened eyes scanning over her briefly before he simply stated; "It has been a long time since anyone's seen you at camp."

Yuffie shook her head. "... I don't need a keeper, Vincent."

He meticulously raised one eyebrow, his eeriely calm gaze flitting over her again. "I did not say you did needed a keeper." Vincent retorted hotly. "But it would be better if you were at camp, with the rest of us."

The young ninja sighed. "I can't take Cid's staring."

Vincent snorted lightly. "He can be ignored. Yuffie... you know how Tifa worries."

Yuffie nodded curtly. "Yea, I know." She shuffled her feet.

The sharpshooter turned to her, fully. Yuffie cringed, awaiting his rebuking.

"You are not weak for wanting what you do, Kisaragi. You cannot be faulted for wanting such loftly goals for your hometown. We, on this journey... all of us have different aspirations. You're no more wrong for wanting Wutai's restoration then I am for seeking absolution."

Yuffie craned open one eye, then the other, a grin teasing her lips as she leveled him with her slate gaze. "You really mean that Vinny?"

The tall man winced slightly at the nickname, willing to tolerate the small price it would take, if it meant she'd come back down to camp.

"Yes, I do mean that Yuffie. You know I do not say things idly."

"Thank you Valentine! I knew you had it in you to speak more then a few words at a time!" Yuffie grinned fully now, hugging the sharpshooter suddenly, releasing him before twirling around happily, precariously close to the edge of the statue's head.

Vincent smirked at her outburst, an expression of mirth not totally uncommon for him. In fact, he smirked often. It was just that few have ever caught a glimpse of it.

When he was sure that she was done celebrating, he held out his claw arm to her. "Shall we be going back then, Young Ninja?"

Yuffie shrugged fluidly and took his arm. "Sure, Valentine." She agreed easily.

Feet trampling across gravel, the motley couple made their way down from Dai Chao, the last dying rays of the sun and the small trails of dust they kicked up marking their passage.


End file.
